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OBJECTIVE: To study the influence, in terms of prognosis, of the finding of seminal vesicle involvement in patients with prostate adenocarcinoma treated with radical prostatectomy.

MATERIAL AND METHOD: We reviewed a series of patients with seminal vesicle involvement with clinically localized prostate adenocarcinoma who underwent radical prostatectomy between 1989 and 2009, focusing on their clinical-pathological characteristics, biochemical progression-free survival (BPFS) and specific survival (SS). We assessed the variables that influenced BPFS and designed a risk model.

RESULTS: A total of 127 out of 1,132 patients who underwent surgery (11%) presented seminal vesicle invasion (i.e., pT3b). In the multivariate study of the entire series (Cox model), pT3b affects the BPFS (HR: 2; 95% CI: 1.4-3.3; P=.001). Other influential factors were the affected borders, initial prostate-specific antigen levels, pathological Gleason score and the presence of palpated tumor.

The pT3b tumors have poorer clinical-pathological variables when compared with pT2 and pT3a tumors. Sixty-five percent of the patients evidenced biochemical progression. The BPFS was significantly poorer for pT3b (40 ± 4% and 28 ± 4% at 5 and 10 years, respectively) than for pT2 and pT3a (P<.0001). The SS was also poorer in patients with pT3b tumors (91 ± 2% and 76 ± 4% at 5 and 10 years, respectively) (P<.0001).

We designed a risk model that accounts for the variables involved, which entails 2 groups with different BPFS (P=.004): Group 1 (0-1 variable), with a BPFS of 46 ± 7% and 27 ± 8% at 5 and 10 years, respectively; and Group 2 (2 variables), with a BPFS of 14 ± 7% and 5 ± 5% at 5 and 10 years, respectively.

CONCLUSION: Seminal vesicle involvement severely and negatively affects the BPFS and SS. We designed a risk model with the independent influential variables in BPFS (pathological Gleason score 8-10 and PSA levels >10 ng/mL). This model confirms that pT3b tumors are a heterogeneous group, which includes an important group with better prognosis when surgical treatment is performed.